The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest, and also the most important. It has always served as a trade route from the interior to the coast from the time American Indians paddled their dugout canoes up and down the river to the tall ships of the fur trade to modern trade ships of today. It also has several major dams which provide much needed power to the region and the river also serves as the border between Washington State and Oregon. The incredible waterfalls on the Oregon side bring in tourists by the thousands, but the small towns of the Washington side are friendlier and more livable. It gets hot out there, and it got too hot for me to stay too long and I ended up cutting my visit a little bit shorter than I would have liked, but I still had a great time out there. I hope you enjoy these photos from the beautiful Columbia River Gorge…
fell hard for Astoria during my stay in this classic Oregon town. I would say most people of my generation have seen the movie The Goonies, which is both set in and filmed in Astoria. It’s definitely one of my favorite childhood movies so I came here already having warm feelings towards the place, but it did not disappoint. There were surprises around every corner and even after a few days in town, I felt like there was still much more to be discovered.
Astoria was founded in 1811 at the mouth of the Columbia River just six years after Lewis and Clark cruised down the Columbia to the Pacific Ocean on their transcontinental adventure. That makes Astoria the oldest American city on the west coast. Originally Fort Astor, it was built by the American Fur Company to exploit the local fur resources of the region and named after the company’s founder John Jacob Astor. The fort would later be sold to Canada’s Northwest Fur Company and be renamed Fort George. The region would fall under joint American and British rule after the Treaty of 1818 but would eventually become a fully American town after the Oregon Treaty of 1846. With the decline in the fur trade, fishing would become the town’s major industry and the local canneries were humming 24 hours a day. The need for workers brought in many immigrants, notably from Scandinavia, China, Hawaii and the Punjab region of India. Fishing is still a major industry in Astoria today, but not like it once was. Tourism has played a big role in the local economy, and increased dramatically after The Goonies was released in 1985. Forty years later, there is still a steady parade of tourists making a pilgrimage up to see The Goondocks on the hill in Uppertown.
I loved all of the historic buildings, signs and businesses as I strolled the streets of Astoria. The history museum was wonderful and kept me occupied for several hours and the Flavel Mansion is a lovingly restored Victorian mansion and a real local treasure. Dead Man’s Isle tiki bar was a particular favorite while I was there, but I also really enjoyed the crowd at the Chart Room and Fort George Brewery. Blue Scorcher Bakery makes some delicious baked goods and definitely don’t miss the amazing tuna fish and chips at The Bowpicker which is cooked on an old boat and has a line whenever it’s open - it’s worth the wait. Astoria felt like a town that has a plan and works to implement it and the local identity is a strong one. It’s location near the coast and its proximity to Portland bring in a steady stream of tourists and keeps the town bustling throughout the year. This was my first time in Astoria, but it definitely won’t be my last. I hope you enjoy these photos from the amazing little city of Astoria.
Hello Everyone! It is wonderful to be back on the coast here in Washington State where the weather is cool and shoulder season crowds are small and subdued. While I really enjoyed heading up the Columbia River Gorge, it was just too hot in the interior, and I had to make a beeline back to the coast. I will take my time as I head north and I know that by the time I head inland again it will be well into autumn and cooler temperatures will prevail. Despite a few hiccups, it’s been another great week all around and I’m very happy to be on the road in coastal Washington.
Hello Everyone. It’s been kind of a quiet week for me out here on the road. It was Labor Day Weekend here in the United States this week (for my international friends), which is always a busy travel weekend so I thought it would be best to lay low for it. I spent a good bit of this week in Portland, catching up with some friends and exploring the city. Since then, I’ve been cruising up the incredible Columbia River Gorge which is really just outside of Portland but has so much to offer. I’m writing this newsletter this week from Hood River, so I’m as far inland as I’m going to go for now but it has been spectacular and so good to be back out and hiking again. It is definitely noticeably and considerably warmer the further I get from the coast which is why I am headed back towards the Pacific starting tomorrow. I will save the rest of my time in Oregon for later in the year when it has had some time to cool down a bit. While not a particularly busy week, it’s definitely been a good one, so let me tell you what I’ve been up to.
Rockaway Beach is an adorable little beach town in Tillamook County on the Oregon Coast. A train from Portland brought visitors to this charming destination long before the coastal road was built and today a brightly painted caboose welcomes you to town. You can still ride the train as well, but only as far as Garibaldi on the Oregon Coast Scenic Railway. Rockaway Beach is also home to Pronto Pup, which claims to be the originator of the corn dog. The Twin Rock Arch is visible from anywhere on the beach and is quite a beautiful formation to see. I loved Rockaway Beach at first sight and ended up staying the whole day, soaking up some rays and enjoying the small-town charm of this great beach spot. It was such an easy place to pass the time, which I imagine is why it’s been such a beloved destination for as long as it has. If you’re ever traveling up or down the coast, be sure to carve out some time for a visit. I hope you enjoy these photos from my time in Rockaway Beach.
Rockaway Beach is an adorable little beach town in Tillamook County on the Oregon Coast. A train from Portland brought visitors to this charming destination long before the coastal road was built and today a brightly painted caboose welcomes you to town. You can still ride the train as well, but only as far as Garibaldi on the Oregon Coast Scenic Railway. Rockaway Beach is also home to Pronto Pup, which claims to be the originator of the corn dog. The Twin Rock Arch is visible from anywhere on the beach and is quite a beautiful formation to see. I loved Rockaway Beach at first sight and ended up staying the whole day, soaking up some rays and enjoying the small-town charm of this great beach spot. It was such an easy place to pass the time, which I imagine is why it’s been such a beloved destination for as long as it has. If you’re ever traveling up or down the coast, be sure to carve out some time for a visit…
Bandon is an adorable little town of about 3,300 people on the southern Oregon coast. Originally Coquille Indian land, it was first settled by people of European decent in 1853. The town was established in 1873 by four men from Bandon, Ireland in County Cork and named for their old world home. Cranberries were introduced into Bandon in 1885 by Charles McFarlin of Massachusetts and have been grown and harvested successfully in the area ever since. Tragically the whole town burned to the ground in 1936 in a fire that claimed eleven lives. It has risen from the ashes and rebuilt as a charming coastal town with a lot to offer.
Bandon was probably my favorite town on the whole Oregon coast. The Old Town area was full of art and color and I loved just walking up and down the waterfront. The beaches were absolutely stunning with so much more to see than just the famous Face Rock and an evening stroll proved to be an excellent choice. The history museum, housed in the old City Hall, was one of the best local history museums I’ve ever been to in a town this size. Of course I loved the hand-painted signs around town, the beautiful carved wooden sculptures and the Coquille River Lighthouse. Of all the towns I visited in my first week along the coast, this was the one that stood out and a town I will definitely return to. Thank you, Bandon, for a wonderful stay. I hope you enjoy these photos from Bandon, Oregon.
When I left you last week, I was at the wonderful public library in Brookings. From there I was planning to make my way up into the Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor which covers some of the most beautiful coastal scenery in the south of Oregon. Unfortunately the fog just wouldn’t lift that day, so I spent a lot of time hanging around the beach and reading which was also nice. The skies finally cleared to some extent around 6pm so I hustled my way up the coast, pulling off to take a bunch of photos along the way. I wish I had had more time to do it, but it was really magical nonetheless and I had some amazing views. The broad beaches and sea stacks are really something to see and I’m really glad I got a little bit of sun to take some photos with. In the end, I only made it as far north as Gold Beach before it got dark, but it was a lovely evening…
Hello Everyone! It is wonderful to be back writing This Week on the Road, but not nearly as good as it is to actually be back on the road. I spent the last year dreaming of the open highway ahead of me and the wind in my hair. As much as I love my hometown and my family and friends, I missed the natural landscapes around which I have built my life. For the rest of 2025 I plan to surround myself with beaches and mountains, waterfalls and glaciers, sunsets and wildlife. I have also learned in my life that while some people thrive on routine and knowing their surroundings, I live for new places I’ve never seen or visited. I may love the museums and bars and coffee shops at home, but for me there is always something special about walking into the unknown – a town or restaurant or music venue I’ve never been in before. I can spend my time looking around and picking up on the details of the place, eavesdropping on the local gossip. I like being the stranger in town. It’s a role I embrace. This last week+ has been a wonderful reintroduction to the world of travel and vanlife for me, with a few familiar places, a few familiar faces and a whole lot of something new.
I have really been looking forward to visiting Ferndale, the Victorian village in Humboldt County, and it was so much more than I ever imagined it would be. This charming town is over the river and down the road from the main highway and while it’s definitely not a secret it still kind of feels like it is.
Ferndale got its start back in 1852 when brothers Stephen and Seth Shaw came to the area to claim a homestead and begin farming. They found that the land was particularly suitable to raising cattle and a small dairy community would begin to grow. William would eventually leave the area, but Seth remained and built a beautiful Gothic home, which he called Fern Dale. When a post office opened in the area, the name was adopted for the town. That house is now called Shaw House and is still there to see in all its Gothic glory.
Dairy, and especially butter, would be the main industry of the town for quite some time, and a process of cutting and wrapping butter in paper for transport was pioneered in Ferndale. Once this process had been developed, butter was shipped down the Eel River and sent south to San Francisco and the town would grow. Butter brought wealth to the area and many fine homes and buildings were constructed in the Victorian style of the time, often called “Butterfat Palaces”. I’m thrilled that so many of these buildings have survived and dairy continues to be the main industry driving the local economy.
I spent a couple of days in Ferndale, taking these photos. I found the locals to be friendly and welcoming as one would expect in Northern California. I particularly enjoyed a conversation about the upcoming Humboldt County Fair one night in the Palace Saloon and also attending an Old Timers’ baseball game at the local ballfield. Breakfast at Joe’s Place was top notch and I loved being able to enjoy a glass of local wine above the bar in the Gazebo. Taking these photos was a joy, especially of the Gingerbread House, Gazebo, the Victorian Inn and the beautiful lamp posts around town. I hope you enjoy these photos of fabulous Ferndale, a town full of Victorian charm in the heart of Humboldt County…
Originally a Pomo Indian settlement, a lumber town was established on this site in 1852. The town was originally called Meiggsville, and then Big River before finally settling on Mendocino, named after Spanish navigator Antonio de Mendoza. Many of Mendocino’s early non-native settlers were from New England which is definitely evident in the architecture. In fact, several episodes of the TV show Murder, She Wrote were filmed here, and Mendocino stood in for the fictional town of Cabot Cove, Maine. Quite a few films were made here as well, perhaps the most memorable of which was James Dean’s 1955 classic East of Eden. Today, Mendocino is one of the most charming little towns along the California coast and attracts a wonderful mix of artists, tourists and small-town enthusiasts like myself. I thought it was cool that the town still has many of the original wooden water towers, built before the town had a central water supply. My favorite places to photograph were definitely the stunning old Masonic Hall with it’s beautiful statue called Time and the Maiden, the old Mendocino Beacon Building, the unique water towers and of course the gorgeous coastline. I hope you enjoy these photos from stunning Mendocino, California.
Hello Everyone!
It is so nice to be back writing in this space again after entirely too long. It has actually now been a couple of years since I was keeping up with this blog on a regular basis, but that is all about to change. I am back in California, back in my van Shadow Catcher, and back on the road. To all of you who have been sticking with me for a while, thank you from the bottom of my heart. To all of you who have subscribed to this page in the last couple of years (and probably forgot that you did), welcome! I’m glad you’re here and I hope you will stick around for a while. I usually put out this newsletter on Thursdays and offer an update on the week of travel behind me and plenty of photos of the places I have been. This week will be a little different as I want to update everyone on what’s been happening in my life these last couple of years, and it’s not really a cheery topic. I promise it will be lighter from next week on. But for this week, here we go…
